


Know Your Place

by Sugar_and_Salt



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternative Perspective, Fantasy, Fluff, M/M, Mild Angst, Polyamory, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-11
Updated: 2016-10-17
Packaged: 2018-08-21 22:29:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,770
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8262706
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sugar_and_Salt/pseuds/Sugar_and_Salt
Summary: They were both tied down but the affection was left lingering in the air. The bond between the phoenix and the dragon was strong. It confused Tao while at the same time it was angering and intriguing him. Either way, he couldn't bring himself to stay away.





	1. Know Your Place

**Author's Note:**

> Wow, this story is so old that it took me forever to orthographically revise it. Still, this was my first attempt at an ot3 story, so here you go!
> 
> Love,  
> Sugar_and_Salt ♥
> 
> P.S.: The other chapters will follow... tomorrow, probably.

 

The war was almost over. Only a tiny flicker remained from the burning inferno licking over the country for what had seemed like forever. Only the borders were left gleaming as the last creatures were defeated. As their bodies were burned, bruised, trapped.  
The fight was grand and the humans had won.  
The peaceful unicorns were the first to go, bound and tied in regular horse barns to serve as an entertainment. Mermaids were stabbed and trapped in aquariums with the remaining ones fleeing into the depths of the sea. Fairies dissolved and suffocated on the tainted air. They were all gone. Even the dragons, who had fought fiercely, were finally facing defeat at the sheer number of their enemies.

They had won. They celebrated. Nothing was going to hold them back anymore.  
And while the mood was bright and people got drunk, a lone figure sneaked along the hallways, and down an ancient stairwell made of stone.  
Further and further, deep into the dungeons.  
His steps got slower as he peaked around a corner and into a cell as dirty and rotten as the wall he was leaning on.  
The cell was rather spacious and the middle was sharply parted by a wall made of metal bars. Those were in no way of an actual function. They didn't even separate the whole cell, seemingly useless in their position. That wasn't their purpose, though. They merely served as a separation between the two prisoners.  
Both tied to the wall, they barely reached the metal bars, much less were they able to get a hold of each other.  
They could have tied them at the opposite sides of the cell. But no, they decided to place them in a close proximity, letting them suffer.  
Close, yet never close enough.  
It was a cruel thing to do and yet neither of the two had ever begged for it to be changed.

Not attempting to get rid of the hood he was wearing, he stepped in front of the cell.  
They wouldn't even spare him a glance.  
And Tao was not happy about it.  
He didn't say anything, though. For the longest time, he simply stood there, staring into the cell where both prisoners were leaned sideways, away from him, to gaze at each other through the metal bars.  
Occasionally, one of them would speak in a really hushed voice.  
Words that Tao didn't know the meaning of.  
Words that sounded calming, caring, loving.  
They were a couple. A phoenix and a dragon, both proud and dazzling in their appearance. The imprisonment hardly seemed to affect them, their human bodies flawless and enticing.  
To the left sat the phoenix with his shiny dark red hair and the clear, warm eyes.  
To the right sat the dragon, sharp features turning soft at the sight of his lover, with bright eyes peeking out under the dirty-blond, unkempt hair.  
The affection between them was so strong that Tao could feel it cause a shiver to run down his spine at the amount of tenderness between them. He felt a hot surge of jealousy responding to it.  
He wanted it as well. Wanted to be looked at, to be acknowledged, to be loved.  
Creatures hated humans. They hated him.  
The phoenix and the dragon hated the human Tao.  
Still, he couldn't stop returning to their cell to look at the beautiful creatures.  
Those beautiful but sad beings. Those sad but happy beings.  
For they had something great that would never come to Tao.

Today though, he took another step, and for the first time, he entered the cell.  
The door made an ugly screeching noise, but still they wouldn't look at him. With careful and deliberate steps, he closed the distance between them until he stood on the phoenix' side of the cell, only a couple steps away from them.  
That moment, he could see the phoenix' eyes flitting over to him, for the fraction of a second, before they sought his lovers' gaze again.  
Gulping in nervousness, he slowly reached into his pocket, trembling fingers grasping the cool wax of a candle.  
He crouched down in front of them, and even though they were now both looking at him, none made an actual movement. Too scared to look them in the eye, he put down the candle and took out a match to light it up with his shaky fingers. The burnt match was returned to his pocket, and Tao retreated with wobbly knees. Before he left the cell, however, he turned around one more time.  
Two pairs of eyes were following him attentively with an intense, but unreadable gaze.  
Confusion, mistrust, anger, disgust. It could have been anything, yet he could read nothing in them.  
Creatures didn't die if they were denied food or their life essence. They also weren't affected by the cold which was fortunate, cause the dungeon was bitingly cold and they had nothing but their garments and a ratty old blanket.  
They grew weak, though.  
Tao knew that a phoenix fed off flames, and he hoped the candle's light would ease the pain he felt. Maybe he was being silly, but whenever he managed to sneak away, he would place a new candle in the cell, always under the watchful gaze of the creatures. Neither him nor the creatures ever attempted to communicate, until one day brought a change.  
Tao had grown too careless. And just when he stood halfway in the cell, the noise of footsteps resounded, making him freeze on the spot.  
"Come out you stupid brat!"  
The preceding noise of aggressive footsteps got louder, and his body began to tremble.  
With wide eyes, he stared at the phoenix' blank face.  
"If I'll actually find you down here, I'll swear you won't ever see the sun again - move your useless ass up here RIGHT NOW!"  
Reacting without thinking, Tao leaped forwards and crouched down behind the phoenix' body, trying to hide himself. The phoenix made some room, indicating for him to slip beneath the blanket, which he did.  
The blanket was dirty and disgusting, but Tao tried to avoid touching the phoenix' back as much as he could. The footsteps finally reached the cellar, coming to a halt.  
"...I swear you're just begging for a beati-"  
The aggressive voice came to a halt as its owner couldn't see the person he was looking for.  
For a moment, no one said anything and subtly, the phoenix pressed backwards, pressing Tao against the wall. The human had been holding his breath, but the warmth radiating of off his body would have taken his breath away either way.  
The voice grunted moodily.  
"Fuckin' scum."  
Then the dragging footsteps distanced themselves and grew more and more faint.  
With his eyes squeezed close, Tao didn't dare to move until even the echo of them had lost itself in the depths of the dungeon.  
Somewhere along the way, he had tightly grasped the fabric of the phoenix' garment. Realizing the situation he was in, he hurriedly scrambled out of his hiding place and a few steps away from the warm body.  
Not quite knowing where to look, he kept his gaze lowered. He wanted to run away, but instead he stepped towards his savior again, kneeling down in front of him. Well-aware of the observing gazes he got, he made sure to move slowly as not to alarm them.  
This time he did not bring a candle. Instead, the smell of fresh bread filled the air as he carefully broke a small piece from the loaf of white goodness he'd brought.  
Since the creature in front of him was tied with agonizingly short chains, he lifted the piece up to his mouth, offering it cautiously.  
When he avoided it by tilting away his face, Tao couldn't deny the disappointed prick in his heart.  
He was about to retreat when the shining, warm eyes found his.  
And the phoenix made a nodding gesture at his lover. The message was obvious, so Tao shakily stood up, walked around the bars and over to the dragon.  
Dragons were known to be fierce and merciless, so he approached carefully, his eyes flitting in between the dragon's and the floor as he crouched down. Tentatively, he lifted his gaze to look at the dragon from up close for the first time.  
His appearance was still magnificent, but the short distance made him see the growing dullness in his eyes, his features seemingly tired and strained.  
A dragon's life essence was freedom and the imprisonment had slowly taken its toll.  
Still, he watched him attentively and hesitated as the bread was offered to him.  
His eyes darted over to his lover's, before he finally opened his mouth to accept the gift. For the longest time, the room was silent with nothing but the quiet chewing and occasional swallowing sound resounding off the stone walls. A soundless sigh escaped his lips after a few bites, but he kept eating slowly; a wise decision in order to keep the food in his weak body.  
Patiently, Tao fed him more bread, trying to keep his hands calm.  
Half-way through the loaf he stopped eating though. Even though it was obvious that his appetite couldn't have been sated yet. Throwing a glance downwards at the remaining bread, he turned his attention to the dragon again, biting his lip a little before gathering the courage to speak.  
"I have another one," he whispered, barely audibly. "You can have all of it..."  
With his voice trailing off uncertainly, he kept holding up the bread. The dragon just looked at him, seemingly pondering, but a hushed sound of encouragement from the phoenix made him slightly wet his lips before parting them again, taking another bite.  
It went on like this until the loaf was gone, and true to his promise, Tao padded back to the phoenix to offer him the other one he had brought.  
This time, he didn't protest and immediately opened his mouth.  
While the dragon had mostly kept his eyes lowered, the phoenix' warm orbs would search his as he chewed. Trying not to falter under the imploring gaze, Tao's hands fidgeted with the fabric of his hood, itching to pull it over his head.  
The silence felt a little suffocating, and as time went by, he found himself occasionally looking up, amazed at the warmth and softness the phoenix emitted.  
When all of the bread was gone, his hand sank into his lap, not quite knowing what to do. Just as he decided to take his leave, the phoenix suddenly yanked towards him until the chains restricted him with a harsh sound of clanking metal. Tao flinched back in panic, but the other had already relaxed his posture again upon noticing the fear in his gray eyes.  
He seemed to intently look at something, alternating between lowering his gaze and looking up at him in a silent request. A curt nod was sent towards... his hands?  
Tao was puzzled as he presented his palms openly. The phoenix shook his head and swallowed, the sound very much audible in the otherwise silent cell.  
"Closer."  
His voice was quiet and a little raspy, his accent thick as if he wasn't used speaking in this tongue anymore.  
"Your hand."  
The accent seemed to dissipate already, and more than confused, Tao slowly stretched out his hand until he could almost cup his cheek. Again, the redhead leaned forwards, and with his nose he pushed back the wide sleeves of his hood. At the contact of his warm skin, Tao flinched again but forced himself to sit still.  
As his sleeves were gradually pushed up, he couldn't contain the warm and fuzzy feeling that spread through his body, drowning out the questions of 'Why?'.  
The phoenix' eyes didn't linger on the variety of black and purple bruises littering his arm for too long. Instead, he closed his eyes and nuzzled his face against the ones he could reach, letting his pale and smooth skin meet Tao's bruised one. He didn't know why, but the gesture felt kind of intimate, and he couldn't help but looking to the right, at the dragon. Said one seemed relaxed though, watching the interaction with neutral interest.

An unnatural, but not unpleasant warmth crawled up his arm and when the phoenix retreated, his skin had returned to the bronzed canvas it was supposed to resemble.  
In a mix of awe and gratitude he inspected his healed arm before bowing his head to the creature.  
He only slightly tilted his head in response, a tiny spark of fascination dancing in his eyes as he motioned for his other arm. Tao complied readily and watched the captivating scene repeat itself.  
Something about it pulled at his heart.  
Something about the caring gesture harbored a gentleness that sent a shiver through his entire body. He had yearned for a feeling like that so badly. Yet now that he felt it, it was almost surreal. He felt the tears before they actually spilled, leaving hot streaks in their wake. Before he knew it he was crying, biting his lip in an attempt to stay quiet. The ragged breathing and violent trembling wasn't stopped however. The phoenix continued caressing his arm as he inspected his face. When he withdrew himself, confusion and a tinge of sadness were reflected in his eyes.  
Bowing once more, Tao scrambled up to leave the constricting cell with its heavy emotions.  
Before he could leave around the corner, he heard the deep voice speak up once more.  
"What's your name, human?"  
Shyly, he looked at them, meeting the imploring gaze of both the dragon and the phoenix as he tried to dry his tears with his sleeves.  
"Tao."

Tao didn't stop to visit the lonely cell, cautious of his movements. He would bring whatever food or drink he could get his hands on without catching any attention - and he also kept bringing candles after the phoenix had one day made it clear that yes, they indeed were of a big help to him.  
The first time he stepped into the cell after that bread incident, the phoenix had softly called out his name in acknowledgment and Tao had felt like crying again from the happiness surging through his body at the simple three letters.  
It took a couple more visits until he said the name with a small smile on his face, which got a little warmer with every time. Even the dragon's features softened up ever so slightly, deciding that if his lover would accept him, so would he.  
Their communication remained at a minimum for the longest time, with Tao being intimidated and the creatures still wary. Even after countless moons passing by they hadn't revealed their names yet. Still, the small gestures and smiles exchanged gave the lost human a sense of belonging and tenderness he'd never experienced before.  
So when the dragon called out to him one day when Tao had just finished offering him some water, he was a little surprised. The blond very rarely initiated a conversation, after all.  
"Do me a favor?"  
Their condition had gotten much better, but whereas the phoenix' voice had regained a velvety smooth texture, the dragon had a slightly rough and raspy sound by nature.  
 _Anything_ , Tao thought. _Anything at all_.  
So he nodded once.  
"Come closer," he calmly ordered. Even though it didn't sound like a mere suggestion, Tao didn't feel threatened and followed it.  
"Closer," he added quietly.  
Feeling a blush creep upon his cheeks, he scooted closer until only a few inches were separating them. Their eyes wouldn't break contact as the dragon's whisper filled the room.  
" _Can you pass it on_?"  
Before he was able to utter a question, the others lips firmly met his, and Tao jerked back a tiny bit in shock, breaking skin contact.  
The dragon's bright orbs only eyed him with a very silent plea hidden behind his intimidating appearance.  
Tao wasn't able to actually refuse it. His eyes fluttered shut as he leaned towards him and the lips met his again.  
They were warm, and even though the dragon was still being the weaker of the two, the way he kissed him showed strength and security, soothing his anxious heart with every move he made.  
His lips were slightly chapped, but the feeling was pushed aside by the moist tongue licking the seam of the human's lips in a coaxing manner. With a hitched breath, Tao parted his lips and experienced the foreign feeling of a tongue against his. It was weird, and at the same time overwhelmingly good.  
The dragon let his tongue wander thoroughly, and by the time he broke away from his wet and slightly swollen lips, Tao felt as if there was no part of his mouth left untouched.  
Blinking rapidly, he looked at him in disbelief.  
The blond didn't seem fazed though, and only looked in the general direction of his lover. And back at him.

Getting the clue, Tao shakily stood up and stepped over to the phoenix, kneeling in front of him.  
He was expecting to see unwillingness or disgust. Or at the very least anger at the unfaithful action.  
Yet he got an almost hopeful look that encouraged him to place his lips on the more plush ones. He wasn't met with resistance.  
Instead, a content sigh rumbled through him. Soon, the phoenix began to nip at his lips in a series of short kisses, increasing in pressure with every touch. Remembering what he had been asked for, Tao parted his lips readily and the kiss deepened, sending a shudder ripple through both of them.  
The phoenix could clearly taste his lover on him as he languidly replaced his taste with his own.  
Kissing the phoenix was different, but also pleasant.  
Whereas the dragon had tasted almost salty and wild, his ways insisting and firm, the phoenix was  sweeter with a passion that built up with every second that flew by. The sensation was almost too much, and finally, Tao couldn't suppress a quiet moan. Shocked at the noise, his first instinct was to retreat, but the phoenix wouldn't let him and added more urgency to his movements. With a quiet mewl, he reciprocated to his best abilities while the question of whether he was allowed to enjoy all this kept whirling in his head.  
It felt like it had lasted a lifetime when they ultimately broke apart with rather ragged breathing on both sides. Gradually, Tao came down from his high and a wary feeling of shame settled in his stomach.  
Shame at his own presumptuousness.  
Neither of the kisses were directed at him, after all. It was merely a message between lovers.  
And Tao knew his place - he had none.  
All of a sudden a peck was left on the tip of his nose, and his gaze flew up.  
Again, a feeling of guilt made him look over at the dragon immediately, but he only warmly smiled at them.  
It was then, with the phoenix pecking his nose again and the dragon's tender smile widening, that he realized there was no turning back for him.  
Tao had finally experienced love for the first time.  
As time passed by and the realization set in, Tao came to understand a lot more about love. Finally he had been on the receiving end of affection. This, however, led to the feelings growing inside of him. And one day he woke up to realize that he couldn't avoid it anymore. The inevitable, his greatest fear. The fact that he couldn't keep it in any longer.

The manor was lost in commotion.  
It shouldn't have been noticeable down in the depths of the dungeon, but neither the phoenix nor the dragon were mere humans and had superior senses. They shared a slightly worried look as they concentrated on the happenings above ground.  
Both their ears perked up at the sound of nearing footsteps. Instead of the usual tip-toeing, Tao bolted down the stairs, almost tripping as he flew into the cell. He took off the mask he'd been wearing and tossed it into a corner without sparing it a glance as he hurriedly crouched down beside the phoenix and attempted to open his shackles with the key he had stolen.  
His fingers were trembling, and more than once did the key slip through his fingers only for him to scramble after it. The phoenix clearly noticed the state his body was in. Even on good days, dark bruises would taint his skin, but now? Dark marks and scratches were littering seemingly every spot they had managed to hurt him in. Even though the mask had protected his face, his poorly woven hood hadn't done the same for his body.  
When the shackles finally opened, Tao wasted no time by walking around, and instead reached through the cage bars to work at the dragon's. Again, he took several attempts, but finally the complex lock made a loud clicking sound as it gave in.  
The sound hadn't even stopped echoing through the room when a strong hand shoved his shoulder from behind, and he was painfully pressed against the metal bars.  
He silently whimpered, more out of shock than of actual pain - he was used to worse than this.  
The hand roughly turned him around to press his back against the bars. It was the phoenix, and like every creature he harbored great physical strength, holding Tao in place effortlessly. Contrary to the brutal action, his eyes remained a warm shade of brown, now a flicker dancing in his eyes.  
He looked mildly astounded as he tilted his head to get a good look at him.  
"You're such a weak, _fragile_ , little human."  
The pressure increased, knocking the air out of Tao's lungs.  
"I could burn you to ashes _so_ very easily."  
As if on cue, a soaring heat seemed to spread from his hand and through the human's body.  
The burning sensation was fascinating, in a horrible way.  
And as his life flashed before his eyes in an instant, Tao was faced with the reality that the only moments worth remembering were the ones he'd experienced in the cold, dirty cell. Dying with a burning heart only seemed appropriate, after all.  
To his own surprise, he found himself not regretting a thing.  
And so he closed his eyes with the first genuine and relaxed smile in what felt like forever, accepting his fate.  
"But you won't," the dragon spoke up quietly from somewhere nearby.  
For a while, nothing happened. Then the heat retreated and dissipated, leaving only moist air in its' wake.  
"No," the phoenix answered equally pensively. "No, I won't."  
He withdrew his hand, and Tao almost tumbled down to the floor.  
Both creatures were now standing in front of him, searching his eyes for something. The noises in the distance grew louder, and Tao flinched. Soon they'd find them.  
That's when a hand was offered to him. It was the dragon who looked at him with an unreadable gaze.  
Tao stared at the hand, not sure whether it meant what he thought it would.  
"You should think this through," the phoenix suddenly said, amusement flickering in his eyes as he crossed his arms to look at the two.  
"Dragons are known to be very possessive."  
A serious tinge was mixed into it as he deeply locked gazes with Tao.  
"...and a phoenix doesn't even consider anything other than 'forever'."  
Tao reached out without hesitating for even one second.  
They both smiled at him tenderly.  
"My name is Chanyeol," the phoenix immediately offered, petting his head softly.  
"Yifan," the dragon murmured as he kissed the side of Tao's palm.  
The phoenix', no, Chanyeol's hand slid down to rest on his shoulder as he spoke.  
"You should know that a name holds great power. We're baring ourselves to you, a human.  
Please know what you're getting yourself into."  
Tao lightly squeezed Yifan's hand and placed his other one on top of Chanyeol's.  
"If you won't let go, neither will I."

 


	2. Know My Place

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 2! c:  
> Took a little longer - revising this is an actual pain, but at least your eyes won't have to suffer through the original?
> 
> Love,  
> Sugar_and_Salt ♥

  
  


  
"Yifan...?"

  
The dragon's head snapped up at the faint and careful voice of Tao who was looking at him with worry swimming in his bright orbs.  
Blinking away his negative thoughts, he gave the human a small smile and ruffled his hair.  
"It's alright. Just go ahead, don't mind me."  
For a few seconds he seemed to hesitate, before turning around and catching up with the phoenix.  
They had been traveling for more than three moons and had come across several places like this already. But the heavy smell of desperation, captivity and death in the air was something he could never get used to. As a dragon, he fed off freedom. And even though he himself was free now, the conscience of so many beings that hadn't made it was a little depressing, to say the least.  
So many who had been locked away like him and his mate. But none of them had been as lucky as them. Because Tao was one of his kind, Yifan thought as he observed him quickly trailing after Chanyeol with his hood fluttering in the wind.  
He was a kind soul trapped in a human body, not fit for the cruel lifestyle they led.  
Humans should not be trusted, that much was evident. Not because most of them were cruel and hostile towards anything non-human. Mostly because they were fickle, vain beings. Wavering easy as a leaf in the wind.  
But Tao was different.  
  
He watched the young boy run over to a huge metal cage where a bunch of pitiful creatures had been left to spend the rest of their lives - slowly starving and suffering, yet never dying. He could already spot a few crumpled bundles of clothing. The only remains of those who had decided to end their life on their own, instead of withering away and turning into a pitiful shell of their former, glorious selves.  
If Tao realized that, he didn't say a word about it. Instead, he busily fumbled with the lock, knowing the human technology by heart and undoing the complex mechanism in a short amount of time.  
All the while Chanyeol, his mate, was standing closely behind Tao and already directed a few words at the prisoners to prove their good intentions.  
Whenever Yifan's gaze so much as grazed over his frame, he felt a sense of tingling comfort. He and Chanyeol had been through a lot already. If it weren't for the phoenix, he might have vanished by now as well, leaving behind nothing but his hood in that dark, constricted cellar.

He stepped closer and saw two mermaids, both so weak he barely felt them as magical creatures anymore. When Tao stepped inside their cage, one of them hissed loudly, clearly frightening the boy. Instinctively, Yifan stepped forwards to snake an arm over his chest in a protective manner.  
"Stop it," Chanyeol commanded in a calm, but final tone.  
"He's a human!" one of them croaked defensively whilst trying to crawl away from them.  
"He's with us," Chanyeol argued.  
Tao still didn't make another attempt at entering the cage and lightly pressed against Yifan's chest instead. He could feel that the human was a little dejected and it pricked his heart. So he embraced him a little tighter and left his free hand to run through his inky black hair. He quietly leaned into the touch, and Yifan felt his insides twitch for a different reason altogether.  
Chanyeol undid the chains and gave the dragon a look over his shoulder.  
"Fan, could you possibly take them to the sea?"  
With a curt nod and a last caress of the bronzed cheek Yifan stepped back, stepped out of his garments and stretched his muscles languidly before calling out to his inner self. Instantly, a prickling sensation rippled through his body as it began to accommodate to that of a dragon.  
Whilst transforming, he kept his gaze on Tao, reveling in the way his eyes still brightened in wonder and admiration at the sight of his wings.  
Clearly, he would have loved to climb on his back alongside the mermaids but he was aware of the fact that they would highly disapprove. So he stayed back with Chanyeol, who assured Yifan that they would wait for him.

It was a quiet ride. As it was common for their species, the mermaids were terrified of height and desperately clung onto each other.  
Even though coming off as harsh and unlikable, they showed deep gratitude once they reached the shore and Yifan let them down into the water.  
Finally trusting him, even though a human was keeping them company, they told him about another creature being kept imprisoned a couple miles to the south. They seemed to have taken a great liking to him and asked Yifan whether they might look out for him as well. While it was difficult to compare different species, it was a well-known fact that dragons harbored the greatest physical strength and he would surely have nothing to fear, according to the awed mermaids.  
Of course they didn't know that those supposedly weak humans had already gotten a hold of him once.

On his way back he thought back to that moment. Even though of great strength, dragons still remained an easy target to attack. The complete opposite of phoenixes. Gifted with a calm nature and void of aggressiveness, they were quick and evasive, and the moment Yifan was forced to his knees his mate was still buzzing around, completely unharmed.  
The desperate cry of agony by the flaming bird had carved itself into his heart for all eternity.  
Yifan had known in that exact moment that he could never give up on his life and leave his mate behind. He had tried to accuse him of following him into captivity, but it was halfhearted. For he knew that he would have done the same thing.  
Chanyeol would be able to live on without him. But their connection was deep, and if he left him, he would leave behind a certain emptiness that could never be filled again.

He could already spot the campfire when he was still far above ground. Of course both Chanyeol and Tao loved campfires, and he remembered the delighted look on his mate's face when Tao made one for the first time.  
Soundlessly, he sank to the ground and changed to walk the last meters.  
Around the campfire he saw their blankets spread out on the ground, and Chanyeol and Tao were comfortable seated on them while kissing each other, deep and languid.  
The sight was not exactly a shock, but his heart still twitched.  
He hesitated, just for a second, but it was a silly thing to do since Chanyeol had probably felt him from a mile away already.  
So he proceeded to sink onto the unoccupied blanket next to them, causing his lover to break their kiss and lean towards Yifan, swiftly pressing their lips together.  
"You're back. I'm glad you're safe."  
He could still taste Tao on his lips, but it was a pleasant feeling nonetheless, so he stole another brief kiss.  
Chanyeol drew away a little with a mischievous glint in his eye.  
"I was just playing a little with Tao. You want to play along?"  
Kris merely shook his head.  
"I'm a little tired. You go on without me."  
Nodding in understanding, Chanyeol sat up straight again, and Tao handed him his clothing.  
"You'll get s-sick."  
"Creatures don't get sick easily."  
But since Tao was genuinely worrying about him and Yifan knew that being naked made humans uncomfortable, he took the clothing anyway.  
  
For a while, Yifan lay on his side with his eyes closed, dozing off to the sounds. Tao's breathless sighs and quiet moans, all soft and restrained. It took some time, but soon he felt Chanyeol leaning into him while lying on his back so he could still keep an arm around an exhausted and sleepy Tao.  
The phoenix pressed a soft kiss to Yifan's cheek, knowing very well that he was still awake.  
"Are you alright...?" he quietly murmured as not to wake the boy cuddling into his other arm.  
Yifan opened his eyes and tried to look believable as he hummed lightly.  
Of course he could never fool him. Chanyeol looked at him with a slightly tilted head and an imploring look written into the brown orbs, before he decided to snuggle into his neck, offering him physical comfort instead.  
With a light sigh, Yifan finally managed to fall asleep at last.

Of course everything was alright. Or at least it should be.  
It was nothing to be unsettled about. Creatures like him and Chanyeol had different values regarding physical affection than humans. And they both knew that humans craved it more desperately. Which is why they once in a while would do Tao the favor of pleasuring him.  
Just simple things, like using their hands or tongue to make the shy thing elicit those tiny, pretty noises.  
It was merely something they did out of affection for their fragile, human companion - even though Tao seemed rather ashamed at first, especially over the fact that they did this more out of friendliness than any form of need.  
Everything was perfectly alright.  
Until Yifan began to feel the spark.  
Until he felt like he wanted to _receive_ pleasure. From Tao.  
And that was the beginning of his problems.

  
The next day brought a blue sky and soaring sun.  
It was a weather they all thoroughly enjoyed, and for a while they kept lying there, cuddled together as they lazily watched the early morning sun rise.  
But soon Tao got hungry and his stomach rumbled quietly, causing a sheepish smile to spread across his features.  
Chanyeol teased him a little about it, but soon the three packed up their stuff and left to take a route through the woods in hopes of finding something edible.  
Tao was very lucky it seemed, and even though technically the two others didn't need any food, he insisted on sharing his berries - Yifan was once more reminded of the time he had fed them bread.  
Back then, they had pondered whether the boy was just naive and conceited.  
Only when Chanyeol had tried to actually frighten him and he showed no signs of fear or regret were they both convinced of his pure intentions.

"Can I ask you something...?" Tao carefully asked into the comfortable silence as they strolled through the forest.  
"Sure. What is it, Tao?" Chanyeol immediately replied in a friendly tone.  
"How did you two meet?" he asked with curiously sparkling eyes, forgetting his shyness in favor of getting excited.  
"Oh? You would like to know that?" the phoenix replied, a little amused.  
"Well, let me tell you then. When I was something you humans would define a young adult I met Yifan here at the dragon's home, high in the mountains in the east. He was such a grumpy young dragon-"  
"Not true," Yifan threw in but was swiftly ignored.  
"-who was already behaving like a century-old being. Really, he was no fun at all-"  
"Well, _you_ were too much fun to handle! You behaved like a little fledgling, all loud and fidgety!"  
Chanyeol's grin didn't cease a tiny bit as he continued with his melodious voice dancing along the syllables, tinged in playfulness.  
"And well, something about that grumpy dragon really caught my interest. And soon I found out that he was only that moody because he was a sweet and careful being on he inside."  
A little flustered, Yifan shook his head at him with a small smile on his lips.  
"And from then on, the crazy little phoenix followed me around everywhere. The whole den was laughing at us."  
"And very soon," Chanyeol continued with an arm around Tao's shoulder as if telling him a secret, "I could feel our bond forming."  
Tao tilted his head in curiosity.  
"How does it work, a bond? Is it like love?"  
Nodding pensively, Chanyeol hummed.  
"You could say that. It's a little different from human love though. Because once someone like us feels a bond, it's like a deep connection that will remain for the rest of our lives. A bond can never be severed."  
At this Yifan felt another prick of guilt, reminded of the way he was thinking about the beautiful human lately.

"I see. I can't have one, then... but-but I won't stop liking you. I know it!" Tao tumbled out clumsily, but determined nonetheless.  
Laughing, Chanyeol ruffled his hair.  
"You're here now, right? That's all that counts."  
"Why do I feel like you don't believe me," Tao pouted, when he suddenly remembered something.  
"So, you said you felt the connection... but Yifan didn't? Doesn't it happen simultaneously?"  
"Well, actually not. Now that's a little like human love - just because you feel affectionate towards another, there's no guarantee it will be reciprocated."  
Nodding, he shot a worried glance to Yifan.  
"So... only Chanyeol has a bond?"  
The dragon vehemently shook his head at that.  
"Of course not, why would you even question that?"  
"I-I'm sorry..."  
Again, Chanyeol laughed as he threw his free hand over Yifan's shoulder, driving them forward in an awkward tangle.  
"Dragon's are a little slow, you know? They bond very, very slowly unlike a phoenix."  
Relief was written all over Tao's cat-like eyes as he looked at Yifan and claimed how nice it was that they had a mutual bond.  
And there was the guilt again.  
And Chanyeol felt it, tightening the hold around Yifan's shoulder in a worried manner.

It was like the mermaids had told him. On a clearing in the forest they found a deserted wooden barn. When Chanyeol carefully opened the door, a stream of sunlight flooded the dark room and fell on a chained young man that both of them immediately recognized as a unicorn, his aura being strong and unbroken. Since unicorns had a healing ability, the humans had locked him away in solitude, in fear of him aiding the others. A unicorn could of course uphold its own existence like that. But to be truly happy, a unicorn had to feed off harmony and this had become a rare gift nowadays.  
Immediately, Tao rushed forwards and knelt beside the man who looked at them with interest, seemingly not very affected by being tied down.  
"I'll open those, please wait a little more," Tao politely mumbled before getting to it.  
His chains were more complicated than those of the mermaids - human technology, made to keep down creatures. Luckily for them, their human had quite a knack for opening those, and after a few minutes of fumbling, they heard the tell-tale click of them opening.  
"There, there. They're gone," he said with a smile, and the man rubbed his wrists in mild surprise.  
"You saved me," he softly said, his voice obviously not used to speaking in the human tongue.  
Tao only smiled and they both got up, though the unicorn was still a little shaky on his legs.  
"I have to thank you. I didn't think there were many of us still free - I'm really lucky you were around."  
Smiling warmly, Chanyeol dismissed him.  
"It's a matter of course. Do you have a place to go?"  
The man seemed to ponder his choice of words.  
"Not actually a place to go, but... I have a mate, you know? It's a human woman. I don't know whether she is still alive or whether she still wants to see me, for that matter. But I think I will search for her."  
Yifan nodded in understanding. Even if that woman would reject him, he could not go on without clarity. It was an agonizing feeling he could easily empathize with.  
"If you ever need a home... be it for you alone or the two of you," he calmly spoke up, "you are always welcomed in the mountains of the east. The tallest of them all was once the dragon's den. I do not know how many survivors there are, but tell them Yifan send you. They will welcome you warmly."  
The man smiled gratefully, and he seemed already a little brighter than when they had found him.  
"I might actually do that. Thank you for the offer. I will take my leave now. Since you were so kind, I'd like you to know that my name is Yixing."  
"A beautiful name indeed. I'm Chanyeol, this is Tao and you already know Yifan's name."  
They left the stuffy barn, Yixing bowed curtly, and they bid their farewell to him. Before he left, he turned around once more though, itching to say one last thing.  
"You have a really kind soul young human, no, Tao. You three are very lucky, indeed," he said with a mysterious little smile.  
With a final pat on the raven-black hair (that was very carefully observed by both Yifan and Chanyeol), the unicorn turned around and began his very own journey.

"Why did he call us lucky? Because we're free?" Tao inquired a little confused.  
Generously ruffling his hair, Chanyeol pinched the pouting human's cheek with one hand.  
"Cute little Tao... I won't ever let you go!"  
"Whayy ah yu makin fun of meeh-" Tao mumbled indignantly as he made a show of struggling without actually doing so.   
The phoenix suddenly pressed a soft kiss to his nose.  
"He meant that we're lucky to have each other."

That moment, Yifan felt something that made him freeze in his tracks.

He barely heard Chanyeol telling Tao to check their surroundings for any traces of humans.  
What he did feel, was the warm embrace of his partner, hugging him from behind with his chin resting on his shoulder.  
"Yifan. Tell me what's wrong," he murmured quietly, pressing himself a little closer.  
When he didn't answer immediately, he felt a kiss pressed to his cheek.  
"What's going on, Fan? I thought you trust me."  
"I-I do," he hurriedly said, the prospect of hurting his phoenix scaring him. "It's just..."  
Chanyeol hummed, nuzzling their cheeks together.  
"...I'm scared," he mumbled in a voice barely above a whisper.  
"Why would you be scared?" the phoenix immediately asked.  
Yifan sighed. It was no use keeping it to himself. This was Chanyeol, after all. His friend, mate, lover, his Chanyeol.  
"Lately... I have been feeling weird. I felt like I... wanted Tao. Just now I felt his excitement over your affection. It's like a bond forming."  
He hastily turned to press his face against Chanyeol's to leave a kiss, desperate for his understanding.  
"But I swear I love you. Really. I swear I'm faithful to you. Please believe me. Please..." he mumbled, a tinge of panic in his otherwise so stoic and calm eyes.  
Chanyeol blinked and looked at him in surprise. Then he smiled widely and began to mouth along his ear as he spoke up in a purposefully low voice, causing a shiver to run down his spine.  
"You know I would never leave you. Even if you were to lose the bond which is not actually possible I think. I would still follow you around as your crazy, little phoenix," he ended with a security in his voice that made Yifan exhale in relief.

"Besides, you're such a silly, slow dragon. What would you do without me?" he teasingly added.  
"W-what do you mean?"  
"I have felt my bond for Tao a long time ago, back down in the cellars. I don't know whether humans can actually form a bond if it's with a creature like us, but-"  
"B-but we, aren't we-" Yifan interrupted him, and the phoenix only put a finger to his lips to silence him.  
"Of course we're still bonded. I told you our connection was irreversible, you should know that. It's what we've always been taught - _a true bond can never be severed_. However, no one has ever told us we could only have one bond."  
"But still. For both of us to bond to the same individual is-"  
"Natural? I think it's not strange. I even think our affection spurred on the other one's, since we're bonded already. Of course we like whomever the other cherishes."  
Yifan still seemed a little guilty at actually doubting what they had, and the phoenix peppered his side with more calming kisses.  
"Anyway, I can clearly feel Tao getting attached, too. Not sure if you can call it a true bond, but let's name it that. And he recently developed it for me. But it will probably make you happy to hear that he had one for you first."  
At this Yifan was utterly surprised.  
"Me? Are you sure?"  
"Do not doubt my senses, little dragon."  
Yifan had always thought that Tao would prefer his mate's presence over his. It was unexpected, to say the least.  
Chuckling, Chanyeol raised his voice.  
"Tao?"

"Yes?"  
The slim figure of Tao appeared from somewhere in between the trees and shuffled closer.  
Yifan tensed a little, and he could feel Chanyeol's smugness.  
"Remember how you told me you were afraid of Yifan not liking you all that much?"  
Blushing, he nodded, his unsure gaze wavering between the two of them.  
"Turns out that you simply misunderstood him. I guess it's even the opposite, and he felt like you'd favor me over him..." he trailed off with a wide grin, observing how Tao's eyes widened at the statement.  
"N-no! No, I don't! I like both of you, really."  
"Aaah, but FanFan was so lonely," Chanyeol further teased while the dragon was getting more and more flustered.  
Tao shook his head with vigor, looking a little shocked.  
"No, I didn't mean to make you feel lonely!"  
Then he stepped forward and placed a shy kiss on Yifan's lips.  
“Please don't be lonely.”  
Silently the dragon stared at him, slightly dazed at the sudden turn of events.

"You can kiss him a little more. I'll make sure he doesn't run away," the phoenix suggested with a cheeky grin.  
Not that Yifan tried.

  
  


 


	3. Know Our Place

  
"Cold..." Tao mumbled through slightly clattering teeth. Without hesitation, Chanyeol approached him sideways and drew him close, easily sharing his endless body warmth.  
"It really is getting colder," Yifan noted, pulling his cloak a little tighter.  
As an earth dragon he wasn't easily affected by the cold, but he still preferred the higher temperatures by far. It might have had something to do with his mate being a fire-creature, causing him to associate warmth with his lovable phoenix.  
"Your temperature feels a little off, Tao," Chanyeol remarked, and simultaneously lifted the hand that had been lying on his shoulder to feel the human's forehead, driving them awkwardly close together while stumbling forward in the fresh snow.  
Tao felt his cheeks heat up at the proximity, and Yifan chuckled.  
"You really are kinda warm."  
"I-it's because of you!" the boy stammered in embarrassment, but the phoenix didn't relent that easily.  
"Really, it's not supposed to be like this," he said, and looked around in search of some possible shelter which was found in the form of a rocky ledge hidden behind a few trees nearby.  
"Let's call it a day."  
"We don't need to take a break just yet. I'm not even tired," Tao weakly protested, but the redhead was already pulling him over to the side with the blond following dutifully.  
Tao sighed. He greatly disliked his weak nature. Even though he was very resilient for human's standards, it didn't compare to his mates. Sensing his clouded mood, Chanyeol quickly leaned in to peck his cheek.  
"Don't be like this. We are in no hurry. We can always relax and take a rest."  
Yifan agreed and shook a few lone snow flakes from his hair.  
"The snow already smells like home. It's not that far anymore."  
Chanyeol crouched down and gently let the palm of his hands wander over the ground to turn the frozen crystals into softly hissing steam so Yifan could place their blanket on the now dry and slightly warm earth.  
"Maybe we can fly the remaining miles?" he added with a tinge of hope when sinking down next to where the human and the phoenix were already sitting huddled together.  
"You know we can't," Chanyeol sighed while melting a bit more of the snow around them, contemplating whether it was worth the effort to gather wood for a bonfire.  
"We shouldn't alert the humans to living creatures gathering at one of the former dragon dens. And not meaning to complain, but you are one big exemplary of a dragon, Fan," he added with a playful twinkle in his eyes, "I highly doubt no one will notice, no matter how blind humans can be."  
Distracted by another involuntary clattering sound of Tao's teeth, they seized the chatter and turned their attention to the shaking human.  
"Shhh... come on over here," the phoenix murmured and drew him close once more, while Yifan reached for the leftover bread in his bag.  
After a dinner consisting of bread and cooked potatoes personally re-heated by their phoenix' pale but warm hands, Tao's trembling had diminished a little.  
Chanyeol still insisted on closely embracing him from behind when they finally settled to sleep. And Yifan, even though preferring the phoenix' heated body, chose to lie in front of the human, reaching around until they had effectively caught the cold body between their unaffected ones. Tao sighed in contempt. Even though Yifan wasn't actually warm with his body seemingly just accommodating to whatever temperature was currently reigning, he kept the cool air away. Without the other two, their thin blankets would have never sufficed in keeping him alive during the cold nights.  
While the human drifted into sleep fairly quickly, Chanyeol's brows remained scrunched up in thought. His free hand wandered to gently pet the strands of inky black hair.  
It was slightly sweaty.

  
  


"I knew it..." he sighed the next morning when they awoke to a profusely sweating Tao, whose cheeks were flaming red.  
"What is it?" Yifan asked cluelessly, rubbing his eyes with the palm of his hand. He was a bad raiser like most dragons (though dragons usually refused to acknowledge this).  
"Look, you were warm enough to make him sweat. Nothing to worry, right?"  
Chanyeol shook his head at the dragon's misinterpretation and lightly nudged his shoulder.  
"No, you silly dragon. He is getting sick. You know how sensitive humans are to the cold."  
"Sick? Are you sure?"  
The phoenix hummed and gently slid the sweaty bangs aside, causing Tao to groan quietly.  
"Hm... I didn't think Tao would get sick, being around us. Or around you, to be specific," Yifan mumbled.  
"Well. It doesn't seem to be that easy. Whatever the reason, we obviously have to make another stop on our way. There's no way he is going to recover easily under this circumstances."  
Yifan only nodded helplessly.  
And when he looked down at the perspiring human with new-found worry, a warm hand was sliding down his arm to find his fingers and intertwine with them, offering him a little flicker of comfort.

Even though Tao was clearly sick, he refused to let them take any risk so close to their destination, and it took them a great deal of persuasion until Chanyeol could finally fly ahead to secure the area and let Yifan fly them as close to the next town as they dared.  
When they had finally left behind the last miles, the walls of the old but sturdy town at the foot of the mountains Yifan was born in came in sight.  
Even though the day was still rather young, darkness had already begun to tint the sky, spreading from the mountains as if they were throwing their looming shadows ahead.  
At the hem of the closest forest they stopped, and Tao turned around, looking at the phoenix with glazed eyes.  
"I'm sorry..." he mumbled, leaning more of his weight into the rather slim body, trusting the hidden strength of the phoenix.  
"Just go and take a rest. I'll be right here," he replied soothingly, rubbing his arms while he steadied him.  
"You cannot get sick, can you?" Tao mumbled into his neck.  
"From your petty little human-sickness? Taking me down is not that easy, little one," Chanyeol only chuckled teasingly.  
"Good."  
With this, he held on to the phoenix arms in determination before leaning in to place a kiss on his lips. One, soft and delicate like their freshly formed bond. A second one, slightly more insistent like the attraction pulling them together. A third one-  
"Okay, that's it, leave some of his breath for me," Yifan jokingly threw in and Tao drew back with a reluctant pout.  
"Fiiine..." he slurred feverishly, holding Yifan's toned arm instead, while the two creatures shared a kiss of their own. It was more practiced and to his eyes, it also looked more intimate, in an odd way. But instead of a pang of jealousy, Tao felt nothing but lust prickling beneath his burning skin.  
He slightly shook his head to get a hold of his human instincts. After all, this was not the time.  
Sharing a last peck, they finally parted and made their way to the town, leaving the phoenix behind.  
They couldn't risk getting exposed, and while Yifan was easily able to blend in with humans, Chanyeol's vibrant, ruby-red hair would give him away in an instant.  
And even though Tao didn't insist on taking him along since his safety meant much more to him than anything else...  
...he couldn't help looking back until Yifan scolded him to stop behaving suspiciously.  
Besides, the mop of red hair had already disappeared between the tree trunks anyway.  
  
  


"Is it good like this?"  
Tao only hummed in affirmation, and the dragon sighed in relief.  
They were situated at the top floor of one of the better local inns. A fire was warming the room considerably, throwing flickering lights across the wooden walls and ceilings. Tao was already tucked in, beneath a number of plush blankets.  
He had eaten a good amount of nutritious soup and was currently sighing in bliss at a cool piece of cloth being placed on his forehead by Yifan.  
"I think in the future you won't have to be afraid of simple human sicknesses anymore," he thoughtfully said while caressing his hair.  
"Really...? Why?"  
"Well, because of your wonderful mates of course," Yifan readily replied with a cheeky grin before correcting himself.  
"Mostly because of Chanyeol. A phoenix is already a lucky charm to those around him when doing nothing at all. But since the two of you share a bond, some of his endless vitality will surely seep into your body."  
"What about you?" Tao immediately questioned, and it made Yifan feel warm to see how indignant the human was on not favoring any over the other.  
"Me? Oh, a bond with a dragon will also grant a human with a longer life span and certain resilience. But it's barely worth mentioning compared to Chanyeol. You see, he's also having this effect on me. I, as well, am to expect a long and prosper life thanks to him. In the end we're both lucky to have him, aren't we?"  
"We're all lucky. That's what the unicorn said," Tao insisted, before coughing quietly.  
"Yes. Of course you're right," Kris said soothingly while dipping the piece of cloth into cold water to place it on the burning forehead, gently swiping the wet bangs aside.

"I don't understand human bodies," he suddenly voiced out what had obviously been bugging him for quite some time. "Chanyeol told me that they heat up when they get sick. He said it happens because the body tries to burn out the sickness."  
"Hmhm..." Tao murmured in agreement, his eyes still glassy, but open and attentive.  
"So why should you try to cool it down at the same time?"  
If Tao had been any less sick, he might have laughed at his lack of knowledge.  
"Because our bodies cannot stand too much heat," he quietly said.  
Yifan seemed even more confused than before, leaning back in the chair beside the bed.  
"So your body heats up even though it's not made to be this hot? That's so silly."  
"Yeah... It's silly..." Tao replied with a tiny smile.  
Then a thought occurred to him, slowly crawling through the haze of his mind.  
"Chanyeol seems to know a lot about huma- about 'us'," he corrected himself as if it was an afterthought that he himself still belonged to this race.  
"He does. He has been around humans for far longer than me or anyone I know."  
"Why?" the ever-curious Tao questioned, without missing a beat. He sleepily gestured for the blond to come closer, and with a mild smile Yifan complied, and slid to the floor to rest his upper body on the bed, allowing Tao to absently caress the arms his head was resting on.  
"You see, once... before the war broke out," he slowly began, and sensing his bitter feelings, the human instinctively turned to his side to caress his face, "there were many more dragons. We are creatures cherishing a rather domestic kind of life, staying close to our family and loved ones. Phoenixes are different and very, very rare. Unlike us, a phoenix is not born from parents. They are born in the hearts of fire, the depths of a volcano. Their nature is different.  
  
“We start into our life with something to hold on to, while a phoenix starts with nothing in his hands. Also, unlike other creatures they live for a long, long time, almost touching eternity. That's why they don't naturally know the fear of losing something. So they head out into the world and discover it for themselves. The first time I laid eyes upon him, he had seen most of the world already, while I had never set a foot outside the mountains. And even though I've only ever met one other phoenix who was already centuries old... I feel like Chanyeol is particularly curious, even by a phoenix' standard."  
At this, Tao chuckled weakly and shared a knowing smile with Yifan, before the dragon continued his tale.  
"And humans have always been his favorite. Oh yes... humans. He wouldn't shut up about them when I first met him. Said that they are burning the brightest, since they're so transient. Chanyeol was always so excitable. Even horrible things would not deter him. I've always been told of the horrors humans bring upon the world and even each other. And Chanyeol would only smile and claim that they didn't know any better and were desperate to find their purpose in life before it was over. Yeah, he was like that... Or maybe, he still is. Back down in the dungeons... It was him who kept telling me that it wasn't you who hurt us. That it is wrong to condemn a race for its individuals. He knew my limits, he didn't push me, he simply waited. Sometimes, even to me it's a mystery how he can stay so positive."  
Tao carefully set aside the piece of cloth that had lost its cooling touch long ago and snuggled closer, nuzzling his nose into Yifan's arms.  
"You two are such an odd couple," he hummed.  
"We three may be odd, indeed," he corrected him while petting his black hair.  
"But who has the right to judge us? I don't think anyone has."  
For a while, they were both quiet as Yifan absently watched the flickering flames and Tao observed Yifan.  
This was the way the two of them worked. With Chanyeol, Tao enjoyed to chat and exchange thoughts and feelings. With Yifan, he could also enjoy comfortable silence.  
Until his thoughts got the better of him, that is.  
"Chanyeol must be so lonely right now," he quietly said. The blond turned away from the flames to look at him instead.  
"Do you miss him?" he softly asked.  
"Yeah," he immediately replied. It was warm and comfortable, but it was not the same as the warmth the phoenix exuded.  
Yifan hummed in understanding.  
"Me too."  
Tao sighed as he closed his burning eyelids.

  
Chanyeol was sitting high up in a pine tree, spying through the cracks of the branches bending from the weight of snow into the white sky. He hummed a tune to himself, slowly tilting his head from side to side when he felt it. The approaching of his two mates. Blinking in confusion, he got to his feet and peeked between the branches to check whether they were alone before climbing down and jumping the last few meters to land with a soft thud dulled by the snow.  
They were still a good distance away, but he could see Tao waving energetically and couldn't help smiling back, returning the childish wave.  
"Yifan! Tao! What are you guys doing, being back so early?" he immediately asked when the human had fallen into his chest.  
"Look, we bought you a new cloak!" Tao claimed while presenting a bundle of fabric.  
"It's new and it'll keep you warm!"  
He stumbled a little as the excitement caused fatigue to overcome him.  
"Woah there. You're still all feverish. Fan, why are you two back already? Tao's still sick. You could have taken a few more days-"  
"We missed you," Yifan simply said with a shrug.  
"I don't want you to be lonely," Tao added, looking as if he expected a scolding.  
The phoenix only sighed and ruffled both their heads, which Yifan took with a grumble.  
"Ah, what to do with you two... and then you spent our money on a cloak of all things! Why would you buy a cloak to keep a phoenix warm?" he asked with an amused smile.  
"We also bought supplies," Tao protested with his cheeks still burning up, "but I asked Yifan whether you're not suffering from the cold if your life essence is fire. And he said you're fine even though the absence of sun and warmth makes you sad... I don't want you to become sad, okay?"  
With this, he shakily fumbled the cloak around Chanyeol. It was actually a very pretty cloak with beautiful golden embroideries.  
"You're always warm and willing to share, but I think a phoenix actually needs more warmth than anyone else. So we gotta always love you and keep you warm from inside, and the cloak will help us keep you warm from the outside," he continued with determination written across his hazed expression.  
Chanyeol shot him a look of surprise, before dismissing him with a laugh.  
"Your fever is talking, TaoTao, you should really-"  
But Yifan interrupted him by throwing an arm around his shoulder, drawing intimately close while his other hand steadied the sick human.  
"It's not. You know it's not," he said unusually gently.  
"Hey, Chan," he began hesitantly, nuzzling into the side of his face, "I know you're always watching out for us. But don't think that just because you live eternally, that you don't deserve anyone watching out for you as well, alright?"  
At this, the phoenix stilled and regarded both of his mates with a long gaze.  
Then he smiled. Chanyeol smiled a lot, he really did. But this was not the wide grin he wore when teasing them, or the excited one he'd always show them when discovering something new. It was a small but nonetheless genuine one, followed by a lipbite to stop the lump in his throat from winning.  
Finally, he chuckled, drew away from the other two and spun around to lift a startled Tao to his shoulders.  
"Alright, enough with the emotional talk! At this rate, we'll never reach the mountains!"  
"I should carry him-" Yifan protested but was dismissed on the spot.  
"But are you keeping him warm? I think not," the redhead sassed and took the first steps ahead with a complaining dragon following suit.  
"I can keep him warm," he protested.  
"Yifan, please. Keep your thoughts pure."  
"W-what?" he stammered in mild embarrassment, and Tao buried his face in the phoenix' neck.  
"They were pure!"  
"I know you're pure."  
"Yea-I mean. Hey. Not _that_ much, I'm very-"  
"Pure as snow," Chanyeol singsonged, and Yifan groaned.  
Chanyeol only happily continued his march through the snow, and on his shoulder, Tao pecked his cheek once before nuzzling into his neck, letting the soft bickering lull him to sleep.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There you go, my first ever ot3 fic. Obviousy, I fell in love with the concept.  
> Thanks for reading ♥


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